Connections between axioms of set theory and basic theorems of universal algebra

1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 912-923
Author(s):  
H. Andréka ◽  
Á. Kurucz ◽  
I. Németi

Abstract.One of the basic theorems in universal algebra is Birkhoff's variety theorem: the smallest equationally axiomatizable class containing a class K of algebras coincides with the class obtained by taking homomorphic images of subalgebras of direct products of elements of K. G. Grätzer asked whether the variety theorem is equivalent to the Axiom of Choice. In 1980, two of the present authors proved that Birkhoff's theorem can already be derived in ZF. Surprisingly, the Axiom of Foundation plays a crucial role here: we show that Birkhoff's theorem cannot be derived in ZF + AC \{Foundation}, even if we add Foundation for Finite Sets. We also prove that the variety theorem is equivalent to a purely set-theoretical statement, the Collection Principle. This principle is independent of ZF\{Foundation}. The second part of the paper deals with further connections between axioms of ZF-set theory and theorems of universal algebra.

1972 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 447-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.L. Hickman

We work in a Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory without the Axiom of Choice. In the appendix to his paper “Sur les ensembles finis”, Tarski proposed a finiteness criterion that we have called “C-finiteness”: a nonempty set is called “C-finite” if it cannot be partitioned into two blocks, each block being equivalent to the whole set. Despite the fact that this criterion can be shown to possess several features that are undesirable in a finiteness criterion, it has a fair amount of intrinsic interest. In Section 1 of this paper we look at a certain class of C-finite sets; in Section 2 we derive a few consequences from the negation of C-finiteness; and in Section 3 we show that not every C-infinite set necessarily possesses a linear ordering. Any unexplained notation is given in my paper, “Some definitions of finiteness”, Bull. Austral. Math. Soc. 5 (1971).


Author(s):  
Asaf Karagila ◽  
Philipp Schlicht

Cohen’s first model is a model of Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory in which there is a Dedekind-finite set of real numbers, and it is perhaps the most famous model where the Axiom of Choice fails. We force over this model to add a function from this Dedekind-finite set to some infinite ordinal κ . In the case that we force the function to be injective, it turns out that the resulting model is the same as adding κ Cohen reals to the ground model, and that we have just added an enumeration of the canonical Dedekind-finite set. In the case where the function is merely surjective it turns out that we do not add any reals, sets of ordinals, or collapse any Dedekind-finite sets. This motivates the question if there is any combinatorial condition on a Dedekind-finite set A which characterises when a forcing will preserve its Dedekind-finiteness or not add new sets of ordinals. We answer this question in the case of ‘Adding a Cohen subset’ by presenting a varied list of conditions each equivalent to the preservation of Dedekind-finiteness. For example, 2 A is extremally disconnected, or [ A ] < ω is Dedekind-finite.


1972 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Herrlich ◽  
C. M. Ringel

In [4] Hatcher introduced the notion of an identity in an arbitrary category and proved a characterization of quasivarietal subcategories which is similar to Birkhoff's characterization of varietal subcategories in universal algebra. The aim of this note is to show that the theorem of Hatcher as well as the categorical generalization of Birkhoff's theorem are special cases of a "relative" theorem, formulated with respect to a projective structure.


1978 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.L. Hickman

Let p be a prime and let (mk)k<ω be a strictly increasing sequence of positive integers such that m0 = 1 and mk divides mk+1. A field F is said to be of type (p, (mk)k<ω) if it is the union of an increasing sequence (Fk)k<ω of fields such that Fk has pmk elements. A set X is called “finite” if it has n elements for some nonnegative integer n, and “Dedekind-finite” if every injection f: X → X is a bijection. If the Axiom of Choice is rejected, then it is relatively consistent to assume the existence of medial (that is, infinite, Dedekind-finite) sets. In this paper it is shown that given any type (p, (mk)k<ω) as above, it is relatively consistent with the usual axioms of set theory (minus Choice) to assume the existence of a medial field of type (p, (mk)k<ω). Conversely, it is shown that any medial field must be of type (p, (mk)k<ω) for some (p, (mk)k<ω) as above. The paper concludes with a few observations on Dedekind-finite rings. In the first part of the paper, a general knowledge of Fraenkel-Mostowski set theory and of the Jech-Sochor Embedding Theorems is assumed.


Author(s):  
Alexander R. Pruss

This is a mainly technical chapter concerning the causal embodiment of the Axiom of Choice from set theory. The Axiom of Choice powered a construction of an infinite fair lottery in Chapter 4 and a die-rolling strategy in Chapter 5. For those applications to work, there has to be a causally implementable (though perhaps not compatible with our laws of nature) way to implement the Axiom of Choice—and, for our purposes, it is ideal if that involves infinite causal histories, so the causal finitist can reject it. Such a construction is offered. Moreover, other paradoxes involving the Axiom of Choice are given, including two Dutch Book paradoxes connected with the Banach–Tarski paradox. Again, all this is argued to provide evidence for causal finitism.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-39
Author(s):  
Lei Cao ◽  
Ariana Hall ◽  
Selcuk Koyuncu

AbstractWe give a short proof of Mirsky’s result regarding the extreme points of the convex polytope of doubly substochastic matrices via Birkhoff’s Theorem and the doubly stochastic completion of doubly sub-stochastic matrices. In addition, we give an alternative proof of the extreme points of the convex polytopes of symmetric doubly substochastic matrices via its corresponding loopy graphs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahar Hadar ◽  
Alexandru Lupsasca ◽  
Achilleas P. Porfyriadis

Abstract We study the SL(2) transformation properties of spherically symmetric perturbations of the Bertotti-Robinson universe and identify an invariant μ that characterizes the backreaction of these linear solutions. The only backreaction allowed by Birkhoff’s theorem is one that destroys the AdS2× S2 boundary and builds the exterior of an asymptotically flat Reissner-Nordström black hole with $$ Q=M\sqrt{1-\mu /4} $$ Q = M 1 − μ / 4 . We call such backreaction with boundary condition change an anabasis. We show that the addition of linear anabasis perturbations to Bertotti-Robinson may be thought of as a boundary condition that defines a connected AdS2×S2. The connected AdS2 is a nearly-AdS2 with its SL(2) broken appropriately for it to maintain connection to the asymptotically flat region of Reissner-Nordström. We perform a backreaction calculation with matter in the connected AdS2× S2 and show that it correctly captures the dynamics of the asymptotically flat black hole.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1357325
Author(s):  
Wenbin Lin ◽  
Manuel Bautista

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